Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Providing a secondary or bonus game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits in addition to the awards associated with the primary or base game of the gaming device is one known method for enhancing player enjoyment and excitement.
Gaming devices having bonus games generally employ a triggering event that occurs during the operation of the base game of the gaming device. The triggering event temporarily stalls or halts the base game play and enables a player to enter a second, different game, which is the secondary or bonus game. The player plays the bonus game, likely receives an award, and returns to the base game.
Bonus games typically include a plurality of awards ranging from relatively small awards to relatively large awards such as a jackpot award. These awards are generally weighted so that the relatively large awards are more difficult to obtain than the relatively small awards in a bonus game. Thus, players are less likely to obtain the relatively large awards such as the jackpot award in the game.
Accordingly, gaming devices that employ bonus games that increase the probability of obtaining the relatively large award or awards are desirable. Players are attracted to games that provide larger awards and games that increase the chances of obtaining the larger awards. Therefore, to increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new games for gaming devices.